Original subtitles

[HORSE GALLOPS]

[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]

- Good afternoon. - Good afternoon.

I'll be with you in a minute.

Thank you.

Oh, I'll put that in the book for the end of the month.

Ms. Matilda?

Yes, dear.

We won't be able to pay at the end of the month.

Well, did I say this month?

But you have been carrying us for so long.

I was ashamed to come in.

Oh, Sarah.

Now, don't you worry.

Oh, I forgot your dress goods.

Oh, Ms. Matilda.

Now, Sarah, I know that it's been bad for you,

what with Ben laid up with his rheumatism

and the river flooding you out

this spring and your cow drying up.

You shouldn't have to worry about a few poultry groceries.

Tell Ben I send him my best.

And don't stay away so long next time.

Bless you both.

And now, what can I do for you?

Oh, I'd like to see the postmaster, please, ma'am?

I beg you pardon, the post mistress.

Matilda Coleman, the same.

[CHUCKLES]

[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]

And, at your service.

I'd like to inquire please about someone living in the area.

Oh, inquire away, young man.

The name is O'Connell.

Francis Xavier O'Connell.

Francis Xavier O'Connell.

Oh, well that's, a... It's a lovely name.

It's so musical, so delightful.

Is that someone you know?

Somebody who knows me.

I beg your pardon.

I understand that he receives his mail here,

in care of general delivery.

Francis Xavier O'Connell.

I never heard of him.

Well, I was led to believe that he...

That all of his mail was forwarded to him here.

Well, whoever told you that, young man, told you a lie.

I've come a long way to learn that, that's a lie.

I'm sorry.

And you do look tired.

Could you recommend some place where I might put up

for the night and maybe find a decent meal, please?

Well, the best lodging in town is at the hotel.

- I see. - But not to be immodest.

The best meal in town is served

right in the back of this store.

And you'd be more than welcome to be my guest for supper.

Well, that's very nice of you, ma' am.

I could hardly refuse a lady.

Especially when she is a post mistress.

You may call me, Ms. Matilda, just like everybody else.

Supper is at 6:00.

And when you get over to the hotel,

tell Simon that Ms. Matilda sent you.

I know he'll take good care of you.

I'm sure.

Until 6:00 then.

[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

? Oh Shenandoah ?

? You're doomed to wander ?

? On beyond ?

? This land so lonely ?

? Oh Shenandoah ?

? You're doomed to wander ?

? So roam ?

? In search of home ?

? Across this land ?

? So lonely ??

[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]

[BELL DINGS]

Could you help me, sir?

I'd like a room.

What did you say?

A room!

Oh. Oh!

Well, sure.

Preferably with a comfortable bed.

Well.

Oh, I was told to tell you that Ms. Matilda sent me.

Well, sir, you certainly said the right thing.

The best accommodations are yours.

Mr. Pierson, would you mind if this gentlemen

occupied your quarters just for the night?

Look I don't want to put anybody out.

Well, you're not putting anybody out.

No trouble at all, is it, Mr. Pierson?

[CHUCKLES] Mr. Pierson has a bed with the real down feathers.

I see.

Ah, here we are.

Nice clean page.

We are not so busy that we

can't afford to give a guest a nice fresh page.

Thank you.

Well, you'll get a good night's sleep here.

Little Creek is a very quiet town.

Was a time where the cattle trails were all shifted west,

Little Creek was wild and boisterous.

Rough and tumble.

Six shooter justice, gun fighter, gamblers,

dance hall girls, trail bosses, everything.

Young people, lots of noisy young people.

Here you are, sir.

But awful quiet now. Yes, sir.

Uh, Mr. S-Shenandoah?

Shenandoah, that's right.

Do you think I could wash some of this dust off before supper?

Supper is at 6:00.

Oh, I'm going to be having supper with Ms. Matilda.

Well, then I can tell you, you are in for a treat.

Not only because of her food, but because she has

a knack for making everybody feel at home.

- I'll get your key. - Thank you.

Your key, Mr. Pierson, please.

[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]

Ah, I'll be up in a few minutes to change the linen.

Francis Xavier O'Connell.

What room would I find Mr. O'Connell in?

Why, uh, not in any room.

His name is here on the registry.

Well, that was more than two months ago.

- Do you know where he went? - He didn't say.

How long did he lodge with you?

Well, just over night, like you, Mr. Shenandoah.

I see.

Thanks very much.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

What did I do?

- Shenandoah! - Who?

That fellow you sent over to the hotel

who calls himself Shenandoah. As if that would fool anybody.

- Oh, him. - Yes, him.

And he's interested in the whereabouts

of Francis Xavier O'Connell.

Yes, I know.

And yet you sent him over to the hotel?

And you've invited him right here to supper tonight.

Well do you know why he wants to see Mr. O'Connell?

- Well, no! - Well, aren't you curious?

Well, of course.

Well, that's what I'm going to find out.

Tonight, at supper.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

- All set for supper? - Just about.

Well, like I said, you'll sure enjoy Ms. Matilda's cooking.

- Oh, Mr. Shenandoah. - Yes?

Well, Ms. Matilda is across the street.

She's lives behind the store.

Oh, I know, but I thought I'd have me a little

pick-me-up before supper.

Well, if you want a pick up, ask Ms. Matilda

about that elderberry wine she makes.

Finest spirits as well as cooking in the entire county,

over there at Ms. Matilda's.

I'm sure, but the kind of

drinking I'm thinking about, I better do at the bar.

Well, you wouldn't want to hurt

Ms. Matilda's feelings, would ya?

Well, how am I going to do that?

Well, I mean she's got the wine to serve.

If you have a drink first...

- Look, I'll tell you what. - Yes?

Man to man, you pretend you didn't tell me, all right?

Sure, Mr. Shenandoah is over at the salon.

And do you know why?

He doesn't like elderberry wine?

Ms. Matilda, this situation is getting more serious

every minute, do you realize that?

You mean about Mr. O'Connell?

Well, at least you know that.

Simon, you have a bad habit. You worry too much.

I don't know why I ever listen to you in the first place.

Do you know what kind of trouble we can get into?

Will you let me handle this?

Now, I have to get back to my dumplings.

Ms. Matilda, you can't cook your way out of this.

It is very grave.

You shouldn't use words like that, they are much too somber.

Well, when are you going to face up to reality? We're in trouble.

Simon, we did what we had to do.

Well, what if we're caught?

Now, I'm going to get that book.

Oh, no, Simon!

It would be such a nice memento.

That's your trouble, always mixing sentiment with business.

And it's going to be the end of both of us.

If that book falls into

his hands, that's a finish.

- Now, I'm going to get it. - No!

This is United States government property and only

authorized postal employees are permitted to enter.

All right, Ms. Post Mistress, you get it for me, but hurry!

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

Well, it ain't everyday we have someone registered at the hotel.

Not everyday, or every week, or even every month.

Is that right, Mr. Pierson?

First drink is on the house.

Well, I'm much obliged.

Well, that's how we treat visitors in Little Creek.

Speaking of visitors, what do you know about

Francis Xavier O'Connell?

I understand that he's the last fellow to check in here.

Can't go by me. I'm bad on names.

Mr. Pierson, is that right, Francis Xavier O'Connell?

Do you know where he headed? I mean, after he left town.

Ask Ms. Matilda. She knows everything goes on here.

- Oh, no, she doesn't. - Sure she does.

When he checked out of the hotel,

he went to live with Ms. Matilda.

You seem troubled.

Perhaps I am.

Oh, I know how you must feel, you poor boy,

but you must not dwell on your troubles.

It must be terrible to have a loss of memory.

But remember every dark cloud has a silver lining.

Never give up hope.

Help is just around the corner.

I think that maybe help is sitting right in front of me.

But for some reason, you don't want to offer it to me.

You mean about Mr. O'Connell?

Mr. Shenandoah.

You have found me in a lie.

Then he did stay here with you?

Upstairs in my guest room.

Where is he now?

I don't know.

Ms. Matilda, I have to know.

Well, he may be the key to my identity.

Seems that we've met somewhere in the past.

Of course, I don't know where.

In fact, all I know about the man

is that his family in Boston

sends him a sizeable monthly allowance

just as long as he stays away from home.

You mean he's a black sheep?

Yeah, I suppose in a family of bankers,

you could consider a writer a black sheep.

He is a writer?

He's an amateur historian.

He's writing a sort of a history of military

establishments here in the west, outposts, forts, battles.

Isn't that sweet?

You see, I didn't come here by chance.

According to the Bank in Boston,

his checks are sent to him here,

at Little Creek, care of general delivery.

Yes.

And he picks them up the first of every month?

Yes.

And when he picks them up,

he signs for them?

Yes, and I have all the registration slips.

But you still don't know where he is?

I told you.

All I know about Mr. O'Connell is

that he comes to Little Creek

to pick up his mail after dark.

And that's all I can tell you.

If he comes the first of every month, that means

it'll be here day after tomorrow.

Yes!

You have no memory.

So how will you know him if you see him?

And what if he doesn't remember you?

I think that's where you come in.

You must be the silver lining you were talking about.

You see, Mr. O'Connell writes a journal.

He has a habit of writing down everyday whom he meets,

where he goes, and what he does.

So somewhere in the journal of Francis Xavier O'Connell,

my name is written down.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

Chills off?

Feeling more comfortable now, Mr. Pierson?

So am I.

[SIGHS]

So am I.

Well, Simon, if worse comes to worse,

I will tell the court everything,

and I will take all of the blame.

No! And have them say I'm hiding behind a woman's skirt?

All you'll do is just tighten the noose around my neck.

All of this talk about nooses and courts

and hangings is just silly.

We have nothing to worry about.

You think that Shenandoah is going to leave now

after what you told him?

He would have found out anyway.

He is a very determined young man.

Well, did you have to help him?

At least this way, we know what he is up to.

Up to?

He is not going to leave until the day after tomorrow

when Mr. O'Connell is due to pick up his money.

He is going to wait for Mr. O'Connell.

What happens then?

Well, go ahead, Ms. Matilda.

What happens then?

When you smile like that, I begin to shudder.

You leave everything to me.

I'll only do what's necessary. One thing at a time.

First, I'll arrange a little supper party.

Supper party?

So that Mr. Shenandoah can have the pleasure of meeting

Mr. Francis Xavier O'Connell.

You do look familiar.

[GASPS] Does he really?

Isn't that wonderful?

But I'm not sure.

Oh, isn't that a shame?

I understand that you are, um, writing kind of a history

of military installations out here in the west.

Yes, that's right.

Mr. O'Connell,

you didn't tell me that you were a writer.

- Well. - I was, uh...

With the 2nd regiment in the Calvary at Fort Totten.

- Fort Totten? - I was a lieutenant.

Like I said, yeah, you do look familiar.

- Fort Totten, huh? - That's right.

As a matter of fact I stopped at Fort Totten three months ago

on my way out here. It is a very busy place.

Is, uh, is something wrong, Mr. Shenandoah?

- Well, I'm really not sure. - Oh.

Imagine how it is not to have a memory.

Not to be sure of anything.

Mainly, not even to know your own name.

Yes, what about my name. Can you help me there?

Well, there are, uh, um,

so, uh, so many names, I don't...

I don't seem to be able to remember yours.

Well, certainly, you are going to try.

Yes.

You really must try.

Oh.

Uh...

Well, uh...

N-nothing comes to me.

I'm afraid I must be going.

Leave, I mean, Ms. Matilda has gone through

a great deal of trouble for both of us.

You can't leave until you've finished your supper.

Um, Mr. O'Connell, aren't you feeling well?

Oh, that's true, Ms. Matilda. I don't.

Well, I'm afraid we'll have to excuse Mr. O'Connell,

Mr. Shenandoah.

I know as a matter of fact that he has a very sensitive stomach.

Well, now, what about your journal?

I understand you keep a complete

record of everything that's happened.

- It's true. - Including the day...

That you would've picked up at Fort Totten.

- That's right. - Well, then.

What I'm looking for is written down in your diary.

Oh, no, it isn't, I-I lost my journal about a month ago.

So there's no sense in talking anymore.

I really do have to be going.

I really must be going.

You're not going anywhere just yet, sir.

Oh, gentleman, please, uh,

don't let's have all this fuss over nothing.

I have just what you need.

Oh, uh, Mr. O'Connell, I forgot you don't drink, do you?

This is for Mr. Shenandoah, this will calm your nerves.

You're no more Francis Xavier O'Connell than I am.

You said you visited Fort Totten three months ago.

It may interest you to know that Fort Totten was destroyed

in an Indian attack prior to the civil war.

Now, I want to know what happened

to the real Francis O'Connell?

What did you do with the body?

Put him under the floor boards?

Isn't that the usual place, Ms. Matilda?

And how did you get rid of him, Ms. Matilda?

With your celebrated elderberry wine?

[GUNSHOT] Don't move!

Or I'll blast your head off, Mr. Shenandoah!

Matilda, why did you get me into a thing like this?

I'm sorry, Cousin Howard, I promise, I won't do it again.

But you had better go now.

Oh, Simon, stop being silly, put that away.

- Ms. Matilda, that man... - You'll do as I say.

You've done enough damage already

just look at that elderberry wine.

That was the last of this year's vintage, oh, Mr. Shenandoah...

Young man I don't care what you think!

Ms. Matilda never harmed a soul in her life,

especially Francis Xavier O'Connell.

- Then where is he? - He died.

He was sitting right in that chair

eating my potato dumplings and he keeled over and died.

And the poor soul didn't have

a person in the world to love him.

Only that strange impersonal Bank in Boston

sending him his money every month.

Oh, so you just let the money keep rolling in?

I won't have you talk to her that way!

She's a wonderful, generous lady.

You just go through her books, you'll find out

she's practically a patron saint,

feeding and clothing this community.

I told you this town had changed.

Well, it would have died if it hadn't have been for her.

But there's an end to what she could do.

Her money ran out.

You see we love Little Creek, and we didn't want it to die.

And I thought it would be a very fine legacy

for Francis Xavier O'Connell, to leave it to us.

He didn't have anymore relatives left.

Only that strange Bank in Boston.

Do you know I rode over 400 miles to get to this town?

And I came here for only one reason.

Now, since I've been here, I've heard more stories

than you can make dumplings.

But I'll leave happily,

if one of you will tell me

where do I find the journal

of Francis Xavier O'Connell?

Mr. Shenandoah...

Simon has something to tell you.

[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]

You can have your room back now, Mr. Pierson.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

[HORSE SNORTS]

? The man I sought ?

? That day was buried ?

? Deep within ?

? The land so lonely ?

? Oh Shenandoah ?

? You're doomed to wander ?

? So roam ?

? In search of home ?

? Across this land ?

? So lonely ??

[THEME MUSIC]

[ROARS]

Repair and Synchronization by Easy Subtitles Synchronizer 1.0.0.0